Metal Questions

Okay, here's a horribly non-metallurgical explanation about casting and annealing. When metal is cast, the molecules are basically PUT into place and stay there as the metal cools and solidifies. No alignment, just stuck in place. As it chills, being more or less forced into shape, stress builds up and the metal hardens on a molecular basis. If it was a simple finding or charm or something, you could theoretically heat and anneal out the stress, but that just can't happen with something that has a stone in place. The other consideration is that it will have to be polished all over again, as well. Kind of a matter of leaving well enough alone.

It's definitely difficult to find certain objects in goldfill. I've seen (actually own) goldfilled earring wires, in the classic ball and coil hook style, and I've seen post-style earring backs, too. I'm not sure how those are made, but the hook ones are easy to figure out, since you can get goldfill wire and sheet metal. I haven't seen toggles in GF either. I think S-clasps would work very well for bracelets, though.

There are GF crimps available...Softflex carries them. I prefer them to the brassy ones because the color matches better. Although, I like the brass ones for matching vermeil and gold leaf (which is high karat and much more yellow than GF looks).

-- KarenK Desert Dreamer Designs

Store:

You are right about it being called rolled gold.

I actually got some gold filled crimps from my supplier here in UK.

They have a website

service in UK is brilliant. I sent a fax in the afternoon and the goods was with me in the first post next day. About 15 hours. Shirley

In article , Christina Peterson writes

Gold filled toggle supplier on eBay that I've used in the past:

has some plain GF toggles that I purchased from her before andliked, and she also has a new Twisted Toggle style, along withLobster clasps, crimps, etc.Here's another seller on eBay that has GF toggles: seller name 'rhinan'.If you're searching on eBay, I'd also suggest using the phrase "14K"to go along with the words gold filled. :) Here's a place that also sells GF tags that are stamped to go on your jewelry at the clasp ends. I want some of those! If this link - - doesn't take you directly to their pageselling them they're listed under the left hand side words of "GoldFilled Rings, Locks, Claps", on Page 3 :) They have an awful lot of GF findings!HTH... I usually go to my LBS for their nice selection of GF toggleclasps.

That's a great explanation on casting. Scientific enough, and very intuitive.

On the gold filled, I think I'm just trying to understand how hard it is to find different things. Maybe hoping it's too complicated to make them, so at least I can understand why they're hard to find. ;-)

Tina

Thanks, Shirley.

Tina

Great! Thanks, Linda. I'll check those out tomorrow.

Tina

You're very welcome, Tina. :)